Turbine driven compressor arrangement



Feb. 4, 1969 s, G. SYLVAN 3,425,238

TURBINE DR-lVEN COMPRESSOR ARRANGEMENT Filed May 19. 1967 INVENTOR. 51/9. 6- Sy/ran United States Patent 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a system where a condensiblevaporizable working fluid is compressed by a turbine driven compressor 'and the compressed fluid is cooled in a heat exchanger disposed in the stream of motive fluid which provides power for the turbine.

Background of the invention In some previous systems where a vaporizable-condensible working fluid is circulated in a closed circuit, for example a refrigeration circuit, motive fluid powered turbines have been provided to drive refrigerant compressors but the efiiciency of such arrangements has generally been poor. In many such systems the turbines are driven by compressed motive fluid which is available as a byproduct of the operation of other equipment and the energy of the compressed fluid would otherwise be wasted. In such applications, for example in refrigeration systems, the power which can be supplied by the compressed motive fluid is determined by factors other than the desired refrigeration capacity so the system efficiency is extremely important in obtaining the maximum refrigeration capacity.

Also, in some previous arrangements where a compressor has been driven by a fluid powered turbine drive and the working fluid is condensed, separate means have been provided to supply cooling fluid to the working fluid condenser so it has been necessary to provide a separate source of power to supply the cooling fluid.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides an advantageous arrangement to improve the efliciency of a fluid flow circuit where vaporizable-condensible working fluid is circulated by a turbine driven fluid compressor. Furthermore, when applied to a refrigeration system the present invention provides a compact, inexpensive, refrigeration circuit where, advantageously, means are provided to both conduct motive fluid to the turbine drive means and cool the refrigerant condenser heat exchange means. Moreover, the present invention provides an arrangement to increase the total refrigerating capacity which can be obtained from a source of compressed motive fluid where the motive fluid provides power for a turbine to drive a refrigerant compressor.

V'arious other features of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides an apparatus for compressing and condensing a vaporizablecondensible working fluid including: a source of compressed motive fluid; a conduit communicating with the source of compressed fluid to carry the motive fluid; fluid flow responsive turbine means disposed within the conduit to be driven in response to flow of motive fluid through the conduit; compressor means cooperatively connected to the turbine to be driven by the turbine and having an expanded working fluid inlet and a compressed working fluid outlet; means to supply working fluid to 3,425,238 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 the working fluid inlet of the compressor; heat exchange means disposed in the motive fluid carrying conduit between the source of compressed motive fluid and the turbine means where the heat exchange means includes compressed Working fluid inlet means in communicative relation with the compressor outlet and a cooled compressed working fluid outlet so that working fluid flows through the heat exchanger and compressed motive fluid flows over the heat exchanger in heat exchange relation and heat is transferred from the working fluid to the motive fluid to cool and condense a portion of the working fluid passing through the heat exchanger means thereby heating the motive fluid flowing to the fluid responsive turbine.

It is to be realized that the description of one example of the present invention given herein is not by way of limitation and that various changes can be made in the arrangement, form, or configuration of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.

As stated hereinbe-fore, apparatus in accordance with the present invention can be provided in systems including a fluid flow circuit where a vaporizable-condensible fluid is pumped throughout the circuit by a turbine driven compressor, for example a refrigeration circuit as illustrated in the figure and described hereinafter.

The drawing shows an example of a refrigeration system in accordance with the present invention. The figure comprises a source of motive fluid and a refrigeration circuit which includes a serially communicative compressor 9, heat exchanger 6, expansion device 17 and evaporator 18 as hereinafter described, so that a refrigerant is alternately vaporized, compressed and condensed.

A motive fluid compressor 1 having an outlet 3 is provided and communicates with motive fluid conduit 5. Heat exchanger 6, for example a finned tube heat exchanger, is disposed in conduit 5 and defines a downstream chamber 4 within conduit 5 between heat exchanger 6 and compressor 1. Conduit 5 terminates in an outlet 8 provided for emission of expanded motive fluid from the system.

Fluid flow responsive means, for example a turbine wheel 11, can be provided in conduit 5 downstream of heat exchanger 6 to be rotated in response to flow of fluid through conduit 5. Turbine Wheel 11 is connected to compressor 9 by means of rotatable shaft 16 to transmit the motion of turbine wheel 11 to provide power for refrigerant compressor 9.

The refrigerant compressor illustrated in the figure in cludes an inlet communicative with conduit 14 and compressed fluid outlet communicating with a conduit 12. Conduit 12 is provided to conduct compressed refrigerant from compressor 9 to heat exchanger 6 and can be insulated to prevent loss of heat from the compressed refrigerant. The compressed, heated refrigerant is cooled in heat exchanger 6 and a portion of the refrigerant, depending on the particular refrigerant used and the temperature and pressure within the heat exchanger, is condensed. A conduit 13 is provided for emission of cooled refrigerant from heat exchanger 6 and communicates with a refrigerant expansion device 17, for example a thermostatic expansion valve.

In refrigerant systems, as illustrated in the example of the figure, a refrigerant expansion device 17 is provided to reduce the pressure of the cooled refrigerant flowing through the circuit so the refrigerant is cooled and a portion is vaporized. As is known in the art, and illustrated in the figure, the cooled refrigerant is then supplied to an evaporator 18 to provide a cooling effect to a stream of fluid passed over evaporator 18 in heat exchange relation. For example, in an air conditioning application a fan 19 can be provided to direct flow of air to be cooled over evaporator 18. Heat is transferred to the refrigerant from the stream of air flowing over evaporator 18 whereby remaining liquid refrigerant is vaporized and the vaporized warm refrigerant is then returned to compressor 9 by means of conduit 14.

In operation, a source of compressed motive fluid can be provided to drive the refrigerant turbine, for example, the compressed fluid can be provided by auxiliary equipment where the energy of the compressed fluid would otherwise not be utilized or in certain applications as shown in the figure a compressor 1 can be provided to supply compressed air. In the example of the figure, compressor 1 is driven by means not shown, for example an electric motor. Ambient air is admitted to the compressor through an inlet 2 and compressed air is emitted through outlet 3 to chamber 4 at a selected pressure to flow through conduit 5 and rotate turbine wheel 11.

In the refrigerant circuit shown in the figure, warm vaporized refrigerant is supplied to compressor 9 by means of conduit 14. The refrigerant is compressed and the total energy of the refrigerant is thereby increased. The increased energy of the refrigerant appears as increased temperature and pressure of the compressed refrigerant emitted from compressor 9. The warm compressed refrigerant passes through conduit 12 to heat exchanger 6 to be cooled by the air stream passing over heat exchanger 6 in heat exchange relation. In heat exchanger 6, the refrigerant is cooled and a portion of the refrigerant gives up its latent heat of vaporization to the heat exchanger and is condensed. The cooled partially condensed refrigerant is emitted from heat exchanger 6 and passes through conduit 13 to expansion valve 17 and evaporator 18 to provide a cooling effect as hereinbefore described.

The compressed air stream which passes from chamber 4 through heat exchanger 6 in heat exchange relation receives both sensible heat and latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant flowing through the inside of heat exchanger 6 so the total energy content of the air stream is increased while the total energy content of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger is decreased. It will be recognized that the increase in internal energy of the air stream represents energy recovered from the compressed refrigeant and therefore represents recovery of a portion of the energy used to compress the refrigerant. The heat imparted to the air stream, which is the energy recovered from the refrigerant, increases the velocity and/ or pressure of the air flowing through conduit 7 and the increased energy is subsequently transmitted to turbine wheel 11 to provide additional power to compressor 9.

Thus it will be recognized in accordance with one feature of the present invention a portion of the energy originally expended in compressing the refrigerant is recovered by the compressed motive fluid to increase the power available for compression of the motive fluid so the overall efliciency of the system is correspondingly improved.

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for compressing and condensing a vaporizable-condensible working fluid including: a source of compressed motive fluid; a compressed motive fluid carrying conduit communicating with said source of compressed motive fluid; fluid flow responsive turbine means disposed within said conduit to be driven in response to flow of motive fluid through said conduit; working fluid compressor means connected to said turbine means to be driven by said turbine means and having an expanded working fluid inlet and a compressed working fluid outlet; means to supply working fluid to said working fluid compressor inlet; heat exchange means disposed in said motive fluid carrying conduit between said source of compressed motive fluid and said turbine means, said heat exchange means including compressed working fluid inlet means in communicative relation with said compressor outlet and a cooled, compressed, working fluid outlet so that working fluid flows through said heat exchanger and compressed motive fluid flows over said heat exchanger in heat exchange relation to transfer heat from said working fluid to said motive fluid to cool and condense a portion of said working fluid passing through said heat exchange means, thereby heating said motive fluid flowing to said fluid responsive turbine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a refrigeration circuit including working fluid expansion means communicating with said compressed working fluid outlet of said heat exchange means and working fluid evaporator means communicating with said working fluid expansion means and said compressor inlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including air compressor means to supply compressed air to said motive fluid carry ing conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,398,655 4/1946 Mayer 62241 2,772,621 12/1956 Arnoldi 62l72 XR 2,959,029 11/1960 Best 62-402 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 62401, 183 

